The Librarian
by Omegathekid
Summary: The Black Fairy has won, and after four years under thumb, Henry is ready to move out and maybe start a new life on his own. Until he is gifted the very thing he needs to fix things. Now, it's time to go back and save his family, at any cost. (Henry time travel fic. still trying to figure out whether to go through with this story. Looking for potential betas.)


Storybrooke, Post 4th Curse

An 18th birthday for most people is a special thing, a day to celebrate adulthood. For me though, it marks 4 years of torture and torment. With my Great Grandmother's Curse, no one aged but me, my fears from my childhood finally coming true. I always thought I would grow up alone, with no one else by my side, and it came true. My friends are still 14, even Violet, who wasn't a victim of the first curse, was stuck, frozen in time. And it was all her fault. The woman who claims to have raised me, the woman who killed my family.

"Oh don't look so glum, dear. Today is quite a special day for you after all," And so the monster finally spoke. Seeming determined to keep up the facade of her being my mother, even when it serves no purpose. We were just eating dinner at home, and I'm left to wonder what happens next. Even being an adult technically, I still feel like the weak child under her thumb. "Why, soon you'll be moving out, and heading off to college, leaving your dear old mother behind. Why'd you have to grow up so fast?"

"You know, I've never understood why you ever bother to fake this stuff when we're alone together. You don't need to fake anything, it's just us," I finally spit out.

"What, a mother can't dote over her son?" Her fake sincerity plainly obvious

"Would you just stop it and kill me already? Why you've waited this long, I'll never know. I'm sure you've wanted to for years, and I know you have nothing against harming children, much less me. So why don't you just go ahead and kill me?"

"I would never hurt my family. After all, family is the most important thing of all," A sickeningly sweet smile spread across her face, as if you truly cared

"And yet you have nothing against putting your own son in a coma? With ripping out your grandson's heart and wiping his memories? As far as I can tell, you don't care anymore about family than you do anyone else."

"Well, Rumple dear needed some punishment after trying to kill me. I'll wake him in a decade or so, and Gideon was just misguided by his mother's ridiculous ideas. I set him right. And as for your life, you intrigue me. You were so excited to try and kill me, and then I killed Emma, and you gave up. Such a shame, at least in my opinion. I expect ambition from my son, and you disappointed me. But I let you keep living because when it comes down to it, you're not a threat in any way, and you are my family. Speaking of which, I have a present for you," and with that, she pulled out a short, thin box. "This is something very precious to you that I took after I cast the Curse. I think it's finally time for you to have it back, so you can finally record what happened to your family. Become a bestselling author, do something with your life. I know you're too scared to change anything, so go a make something out of yourself. You'll never be a hero, not even close, so do what you're good at, and observe." I was boiling, yet I knew she was right. There was nothing I could do anymore, because everyone was dead.

"You're just going to let me go?" I knew the shock was apparent on my face, but I still couldn't quite process her words. "That's it? No catch? No trick?"

"Yes, of course I am. If I can be perfectly honest, you've disappointed me. You're my great grandson, my blood flows through your veins, but I suppose the blood of the Savior has diluted it too much. Even after that, I just can't kill you. So, goodbye. I wish you the best of luck, visit anytime, I suppose. I trust in your independence," And with that, she set down the box and left to head upstairs, leaving me to my thoughts. As I stared at the box, I gradually raised my hand outward and opened to see exactly what I expected: the Author's Quill. As I lifted it up, I had no idea what to. I had no ink, and even if I did, I couldn't raise the dead unless I was in the Underworld, and the only person with a way there is heavily guarded and in a coma. It was then that I remembered one source of ink still in Storybrooke. It was time for a visit to the graveyard.

***...***...***

Cruella De Vil. One of the few people I could even begin to consider "My Villain", and even then, she barely counted. In the end, the only good thing she ever did was pushing me down the path to being the Author I was meant to be, and now, she's going to help me again. With great heaving, I managed to dig up her body and open her casket. She had been preserved perfectly, that wicked look plastered on her face for all eternity. But what struck me the most was hair. That white and black contrast, the origin of which related to the very pen I have in my hand. As I lowered the quill down to her hair, it was then that I heard a twig snap behind me. I dipped the quill in her hair and felt the magic surge before turning around to see my least favorite relative.

"I'm not an idiot Henry," Fiona said as she stepped from the shadows. "I knew you would try something stupid like this. I thought I could trust you to let things go, either go be successful or stay and join me. Yet here you are, proving that the stupidity of your mother's bloodline continues. I'm afraid I'll have to take that pen back,"

"No way. I finally have a chance to undo your work, and I won't be stopped now," I pulled out a napkin I had taken from dinner and lowered my quill to the surface. "I'm going to ruin you. I want to make you feel what I feel every day, thinking about my family,"

"If you're so determined, I have nothing left to do. Go ahead and write, I'm sure it will go exactly as you plan," And with that, I felt some sort of grip tighten around my gut. Ignoring it, I finally managed to write what I wanted, and with that The Author gained the ability to undo the Black Fairy's work. And with that, everything went black as I heard a cackling laughter from the greatest evil in my life.

The Enchanted Forest, 36 years ago

As I awoke, my face flat on the ground, I could feel the forest air around me, twigs sticking to my face. As I rose up, I felt overwhelmed with this strong sense of familiarity. I was sure I should know this place, but I just couldn't quite place my finger on why. Then, with another flash, an old man appeared, a disappointed look on his face. He too was familiar, but still, I wasn't sure.

"Who are you?" I finally mumble, struggling to get words out.

"Someone who should have taught you better, Henry Mills," And with those words, the recognition finally came. The Apprentice was here and alive, right in front of me.

"How are you here? You're dead." Then, getting a look at our surroundings, "Also, where are we?" I add.

"I would think the Author would recognize the very place he wrote about. Then I again, I have no recollection of you becoming the Author. Not for another 31 years," The calm, stoic look never left his face, yet the disappointment still shown through.

"Wait, 31 years! That's impossible. I can't have time-traveled. I asked for the power to fix things, not to be displaced in time,"

"And yet here you are. You are from 36 years in future, and I assume what you want to fix would be the deaths of your family, as well as the destruction of all realms. Merlin foresaw such an event, yet claimed to Savior would stop this,"

"Yeah, well he was wrong. My mother is dead, as well as anyone who could have stopped the Black Fairy," The tears I had been holding back for years finally flooded out. The loss of my family finally hitting me like a truck. "They're all dead. Both my moms, my grandparents, my dad, Hook, Zelena, Robin, all of them. They're all dead, and no one would ever let me help. I was always the one being saved, I don't know how to fight, I'm just a kid," I collapsed to my knees, emotion overwhelming me. Then, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and a kind voice spoke.

"Merlin always taught me not to interfere, that people such as him and myself should let things go on with their natural course," The Apprentice raised my head up to look him in the eyes, "However, he never said anything about someone like you. There was never any time travel clause. I can give you a place to live, but once the Curse is cast, you are on your own. I lack the power to send you back to the future, and I'm sure you would fight me on that anyway. So stay here with me, make your preparations, you have less than a year until the Curse is cast, and then that will be the end of our interactions until such time that I must reenter the story in its natural course. So, how about it, would you like to stay with me?" Dry of tears, I shake my head with a resounding yes, certain of the changes I could make.

"Yes. Yes, please. Let me do this, and I promise, the realms will be protected. I can save everything, I can save my family,"

…***...***...

6 Months Later

As I approached the cell, I could feel his presence growing stronger, and finally, I saw him, my grandfather.

"Rumplestiltskin." I said, my voice somewhere in between commanding and quivering. He pushed his face against the bars, looking me right in the eyes.

"Why, hello dearie. I must say, I wasn't expecting any visitors, that's for certain. I can tell you aren't with the Charmings, and yet, you aren't the Queen's servant either. So tell me, just who are you?"

"My name isn't necessarily important, it's what I can offer you. I want to make a deal, and I suppose my name could very well be a part of it."

"A deal, eh? Well, I must say, I'm surprised. I haven't heard of nor seen you before, but you seem familiar somehow. Sure, I'll hear you out. What's your deal?"

"There is a Curse coming, and no one will be safe from it, except for the Queen, and you. At least in a way. I know of your plan to regain your memories using the name of the Savior, and I want you to expand that spell's effects to me." He was taken aback by my knowledge of his plan, and recoiled from the bars before speaking again.

"What are you, some kind of seer? Even if I did have some sort spell prepared, I would never share it, and can't think of anything you could offer me that I would possibly want."

"Well I can think of two things. I have information that I swear on my grandfather's life is true. And it's information that you could use to your advantage. The first thing is my identity, I think you'll find it quite intriguing, and the second is the truth about your true love Belle," at the mention of her name, he immediately rushed up the bars and grabbed me by the neck.

"Belle is dead! And even if she was alive, she is most definitely not my true love! As for your identity, I'm sure it's not nearly interesting as you think, dearie." I could feel his grip tightening, thinking fast, I needed to prove what I knew, somehow. Then, it dawned on me.

"E… Emma…"

"What?" His gripped loosened.

"The Savior… Her name… is Emma…"

"I've already heard this from the Charmings. You have nothing I don't know." I was finally feeling the desperation, and caved.

"My name… is… Henry… Please… I'll do anything…"

"Anything?" Finally, he released me, gazing at me intently. "Why is this so important to you?"

"This is the only way to save my family, including you."

"What? I assure you, dearie, I am no family of yours. You're testing my patience. You truly have nothing I want." Losing my patience, I did the only thing left I could think of.

"If you do this for me, I will owe you forever. I'll do whatever you want, whenever you want, so long as you do this one thing. Do this one small thing for me, and when the Curse breaks, I'm yours. Forever."

"See now, you have a deal that's intriguing. I must admit, I am curious as to what you will do."

"So, do we have a deal?"

***...***...***

"I can't say I condone this, Rumplestiltskin is extremely dangerous." The Apprentice said, looking at me with apprehensive eyes. Sighing, I replied.

"I know what I'm doing, trust me, he's a good man, and I can get through with minimal damage. He'll probably be the first to know, might as well get in his good graces. Anyway," I continued, "That's not why I came here. There's more. I look too much like myself. I'm eighteen, and I still look too young. Young me would recognize himself for sure,"

"So what do you require from me? Any glamour would be wiped the minute the curse came over you." He eyed me with a curious look.

"I'm not asking for glamour. I want you to make me older, at least mid to late 20s. 28, like my mom will be when she comes to town. With that amount of age, I should look different enough that no one will notice until my work has already been done." His eyes widened in shock, but before he could speak up, I interrupted. "I understand something like that would be painful, and hard, and it can't be reversed, but it's the only way to protect my identity in the most efficient way possible."

"Alright. I promised to give you the best chance you could get, but do understand, most aging spells are for a year at most. What you're talking about is upwards of 10 years. This will be excruciating, and will take you out of commision for up until the Curse is cast. Are you sure this is what you want to do?" The look in his eyes was almost fatherly, as pity filled his eyes.

"I understand. I've completed any preparations that I have, and this is all I have left to do. Please, do this for me. You've been this figure of support, a sort of father to me for these last 6 months, and I promise to make you proud." I could see the tears welling in his eyes, and could feel them in mine too.

"And you have been like the son I never had. We shall begin then. There will be scarring, as the growth is going to stretch your body to its limits. These will be a very painful 3 months, but when you come out of it, you will be 28 years old in body, while the Curse will most likely take care of mind. Is there anything else you need now? Because I don't know how fit you'll be to request things later." A single tear dropped, before he got his emotions under control.

"No. I'll be fine. And thank you, I'm ready." And with that, he raised his hand as a large pain filled my body, starting with my gut, and working its way both up and down my body, feeling like I was being pulled on a stretcher. Blacking out from the pain, I hear only one thing as consciousness left me: The laughter of the Black Fairy.

***...***...***

I'm not sure what was worse, the unimaginable constant pain, or the horrifying nightmares. Images would flash through my head constantly. Some familiar, some of the Apprentice taking care of me, and some of futures that I can only assume would have come if Fiona hadn't killed my family. My graduation, the birth of a little sibling, a wedding with a woman in a spectacular blue dress, and a young girl knocking on my door. Sadness was constant with these images, because I knew that future would never happen. Not for this version of me at least. And yet, somehow, the images of the past were worse. They were warped, and made no sense. In one, I saw myself, trapped in the body of Peter Pan, being tortured by a psychopath version of myself. I saw Cruella De Vil kill Emma, watching her ripped to shreds. I saw myself in the Underworld, with no escape, forced to rot there for eternity. And worst of all, I saw a ten year old me take a bite from a cursed apple turnover I knew so well. And I watched as I layed on hospital bed, as the machine flatlined. I was dead. And ever constant was that laughter. The laughter of the Black Fairy. And with each echo, the spot in my gut where I had felt her spell before twinge, with varying degrees of added pain until finally, silence.

Complete silence, until suddenly I awoke, looking into the eyes of the Apprentice. Even though trusted in his abilities, I felt no difference

"Did… did it work?" I stuttered out, hearing a slight difference in my voice.

"Yes. You are now in body 28 years old, and not a moment too soon. The Curse has arrived, and I must take my leave. But before I go, I wanted to say goodbye, and good luck. I feel like Merlin wouldn't approve, and yet for once I find myself not in need of his approval. I am satisfied."

"Thank you" I managed to get out through my grogginess, "Thank you so much. I promise to make you proud, but before you go, can I have mirror?" He let out a soft chuckle.

"Yes, yes, I thought you might want one." He said, handing me a small hand mirror, "Goodbye, Henry". And with that, he was gone. I gazed into it and was mildly shocked. The first thing to jump at me was a light scar across my left eye, as if my face had tried to split open from the pain, and I could only assume the rest of my body looked similar. However, other than that, I looked perfectly normal. I could still tell I was the same person, but anyone who didn't know probably wouldn't be able to guess. I took one last look before glancing outside to see the Curse clouds roll in, bringing with them a new future.


End file.
